Shoe last



g 13, 1949 J. J. DUDENHOFEN 2,211,715

SHOE LAST Original Filed July 19, 1937 Patented Aug. 13, 194o ulnso STATES SHOE LAST John J. Dudenhofen, St. Clair, Mo.

Application July 19, 1937, Serial No. 154,385 Renewed January 13, 1940 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe lasts of the class used in manufacturing shoes, and particularly in the construction and arrangement of the hinge therefor.

' The last in this connection is constructed of two sections and so arranged that after the shoe has been built thereon, the shoe can be readily and easily removed therefrom without in any manner orway altering the original contour or shape, or rupturing any part of the shoe structure.

The essential feature of the invention is to construct and arrange a last of two parts with a hinging, locking and releasing means which will hold the parts rigidly in position while the last is in use, and which will permit the shoe to be removed therefrom with perfect freedom, avoiding frictional contact with the counter portion of the shoe, thereby avoiding spreading, altering, rup- 2 7 turing, or'otherwise changing the original shape thereof. 7

Another object is that when breaking the last for removal of the shoe, the heel portion of the last is lifted free from the heel and counter portion of the shoe with perfect freedom and without frictional contact.

Another object is to produce a generally new, simplified, and improved device of the character described.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and claims and from the drawing, referring to which:

Figure 1 is a side View of my improved last with parts in section, showing the locking and releasing means used therewith.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, the same showing the last in broken position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the locking and releasing means showing its relative position within the last, the same being taken on the broken line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the locking and releasing means ready to be assembled, except that the pins ill have been placed in position.

45 Figure 5 is a combined side and sectional View of the locking and releasing means in assembled position.

In the general construction of my invention, I provide a shoe last composed of two parts A and B, the part B having a bore or cavity 6 by which the last is supported on the regulation jack.

The last, when placed on the jack, is positioned with the sole part up, or in a reversed position 55 to that shown in Figures 1 and 2.

While in position on the jack and assembled as shown in Figure l, the shoe is built thereon, and after the shoe has been completely formed, to remove the same from the last, the toe portion of the last is forced upwardly and forwardly to 5 the position shown in Figure 2, thereby releasing the heel portion of the shoe from the heel of the last in the manner shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 2. 7 I

In order to retain both sections or parts of 10 the last in operative position, I connect the parts with a locking and releasing means which is inserted in slots 1 and 8 formed in both parts of the last.

The locking and releasing means comprises two 5 members 9 and Ill, each of an approximate U- shaped metallic shell, the member 9 inserted in the slot or cavity 1 of the toe of the last, and the member [9 in the heel'part of the last, and these shells are so constructed that the member 9 will telescope within the member H] assuming a posi-. tion as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

The shells 9 and Hi are retained in position in the body of the last by means of pegs or dowels l I passed through the body and through the holes i2 formed in the walls of the shells; by this means, the shells are held firmly within the body of the last.

Each of the shells are provided with projecting ears I3, each having semi-circular depressions M formed in the edges; these depressions are designed to contact with cross pins l5 which, when seated, holds the shells in locked position through the agency of the pressure springs I8 which contact with and exert pressure against said pins. 7

The shells are each provided with elongated slots I! through which are passed pins I8, and by these pins, the locking and releasing means is retained in communicative position and its movem-ent limited.

The pins I5 operate in slots l9 which provides sufficient play for the pins to move when the ears [3 free themselves duringthe locking and releasing process so as to permit the last to assume the positions as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

When replacing the last to its building position,

as shown in Figure 1, the pressing of the toe end downwardly permits the ears to pass the pins l5 pressing them forwardly until the semi-circular depressions come in alignment therewith when the pins are seated in the depressions by the action of the springs Hi.

This arrangement is rigid and stiff enough to permit the last to be worked upon during the shoe construction and to release the same in order to remove the shoe; a sharp tap upwardly on the toe part of the last permits the locking and releasing element to function, causing the toe end to be elevated above the heel end to a position as that shown in Figure 2.

The depressions in the ears click in position against the pins I5 which hold the two parts of the last in rigid position, and when releasing or breaking the last, the pins are automatically pressed back in the elongated bores l9, thereby permitting the last to slide the full length of the slots l'l formed in the walls of the shells.

Numerous changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the invention above set forth without departing from the spirit and purpose thereof; and it is my intention to cover by the following claims equivalents which may be reasonably included Within their scope.

I claim:

l. A last of the character described comprising a toe member and a heel member, a locking and releasing mechanism in juxtaposition to the two said members, said mechanism comprising two shells arranged to interlock and have limited sliding rectilinear movement only to permit the whole of the heel member to be simultaneously elevated and moved forwardly with respect to the toe member whereby the heel of the shoe may be removed without frictional contact.

2. A last of the character described comprising a toe member and a heel member, an interlocking mechanism connecting said members, said interlocking mechanism comprising shells telescopically connected, said toe and heel mechanism being rigidly connected to separately sliding shells, means provided for limiting the sliding movement, and means for locking the same when in position for the building of a shoe.

3. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channel-shaped, sheet metal members, each of said members being provided with parallel slots and each of said members being provided with pins to engage the slots in the other member whereby said members may be moved longitudinally with respect to each other.

4. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channel-shaped, sheet metal members, parallel guide ways in one of said members and means in the other member for engaging said guide ways whereby said members may be moved longitudinally with respect to each other, said guide ways being constructed and arranged to rigidly maintain the longitudinal axes of said members in parallel relation to each other.

5. A shoe last hinge comprising a channelshaped member having a pair of guides formed parallel to the length thereof, a second channelshaped member having means engaging said guide means, and spring means for locking said members in a predetermined relation.

6. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channel-shaped members, one of said members being adapted to slidably fit within the other of said members, guide means for permitting limited sliding movement of said members with respect to each other, rectilinear and parallel and means for locking said members in a predetermined relation.

7. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channels mounted slidably with respect to each other, parallel guide means in each of said channels, and means carried by each of said members for engaging the guide means in the other member.

8. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channels, parallel slots in each of said channels, means carried by each of said channels for slidably engaging slots in the other channel.

9. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channels, parallel slots in each of said channels, means carried by each of said channels for slidably engaging slots in the other channel, and a spring detent for locking said hinge in a predetermined position.

10. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channel-shaped members, said members being similarly formed but one being narrower than the other so as to slidably fit within the channel thereof, each of said members having a guide slot therein, the other of said members having means slidably engaging said guide slot.

11. A shoe last hinge comprising a pair of channel-shaped members, said members being similarly formed but one being narrower than the other so as to slidably fit within the channel thereof, one of said members having a guide slot therein, the other of said members having means slidably engaging said guide slot, and a detent for releasably locking said members in a predetermined position.

JOHN J. DUDENHOFEN. 

